1694 QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY. [ART. 18.

smaller fish to return to the waters for growth and maturation; and
persons using seines, pound nets, fish baskets, fykes, traps or nets of
any class or description that catch fish alive, shall immediately
cull them and return the small fish to the waters of the place

where they were taken.

1888, ch. 151.

171. No persons other than the bona fide residents of Kent
and Queen Anne's counties, and who have been such for six
months preceding the beginning of any fishing season, -to wit,
the first day of August, of any year, shall use any boat or trap
of any kind or description used in catching fish in the said
waters of Chester river and its tributaries in said counties; pro-
vided, however, that the waters of Chester river and its tribu-
taries shall be used in common between the bona fide residents
of said counties, to wit: those who have had a bona fide residence
in either of said counties for six months before the first day of
August, of any year, or the fishing season thereof; and provided
also, that persons owning lands in said counties, on said river and
its tributaries, shall have the right to rent or otherwise grant by

written lease or contract, under hand and seal, to be filed and re-
corded in the clerk's office of the county where the lands lie, a
certified copy of which, under the hand of the clerk and seal of
his office, shall be evidence of the right to fish in the waters
opposite the shores described thereon, to non-residents of said
counties, the privilege of fishing in or opposite their shores
during the fishing season, hereinbefore limited and fixed, under
all the restrictions hereinbefore provided; and further provided,
that the right to take fish with hook and line shall be allowed to
all persons at all times.

Ibid.

172. Upon the information of any citizen of either of said coun-
ties, that he knows or verily believes that any person has violated
any of the provisions of the four preceding sections, before any
justice of the peace of Queen Anne's county, if the offence
occurred in Eastern bay or its tributaries, within the Jurisdictional
limits of Queen Anne's county, or if the offence occurred in
Chester river or any of its tributaries, before a justice of the peace
of either of said counties, the said justice of the peace shall docket
a case in the name of the State of Maryland, against such per-